St. Landry democrat., 1887-07-28
HORSE POINTS TO AVOID.
A List of Rules to BE Applied in the Salec
ton of Horses.

The following rules are given for guild
ance in buying them. As rule they
will apply in the selection OF horses for
other work. They are as follows:
Four year-olds, i. e., three off after
October /, should not be less than -
hands o. inch nor exceed 10 for light
cavalry.
For medium they should not be less
than 10 nor over lj.2.
For heavy cavalry not less than 10
nor over l5.3I.
In measuring a horse or Judging OF
his hei 2ht and size by sight. take care
that he stands on a level with yourself
Dealers generally stand Il horse. If I'M
dcr-sized, on higher ground, or if over
size, on lower ground than the intend
ing purchaser.
Want Of Il fair amount of breeding
should be an absolute bar.
Reject Il horse with big, coarse
head.
Reject Il horse with a small, sunken
eye. They are generally obstinate and
Sulky.
Reject horse of a color light of the
sort.
Reject a horse with a long, slack
back. 1t will not carry weight.
Reject horse with hollow back.
The formation is weak.
Reject a horse with flat sides. They
will not do work or look well.
Reject horse with a slack loin, I. E.,
undue length between the last ribs and
hind quarters (sacrum). They are
often bad feeders, and will run up light
with work.
Reject horse with light loin, i. e..
want Of breadth over the loins. They
run up light with work.
Reject horse with scraggy hips.
They never do ere it to feeding, par
ticularly if also slack in the loins.
Reject a horse with a bad girth, i. e.,
Eight through the heart This formal
ton will always cause trouble, in sad
dlers especially.
Reject horse with a thick or short
ncck.
Reject horse unless it has good
rein. With a clumsy neck the head is
IN consequence badly set on. Without
a good rein a horse will never break
well.
Reject horse with very low withcrs.
The saddle will be apt to work for
wards and the ''rcin' will probably be
deficient, and the leverage for the mus
cles of the forehead is defective.
Reject a horse if very short. There
is not room enough for the kit.
To see all the above points stand on
the side and form your opinion before
the horse moves off.
Reject horse with narrow or shall
low chest. There is not sufficient ca
pacity for the lungs.
Reject horse with fore legs very
close together. This and the former
defect generally 60 together To see
these points stand in front.
Reject horse whose fore legs are
not straight. They will not stand
wear. Stand behind the horse Us he
walks away from you, and YOU will be
able to notice these defects. if they ex-
iSt.
Reject horse which is light below
the knee, especially if Immediately be-
low the knee. The conformation is
essentially weak.
Reject horse with long, or with
short, or with upright pasterns. Long
pasterns are subject to sprainS. Short
or upright pasterns make a horse I'M
pleasant to ride. and, on account of
extra conclusions, are apt to cause
ossitic deposits.
Reject a horse with toes turned in or
out. The twist generally occurs at the
fetlock. Toes turned 'out' are more
than toes turned "in.'
when toes are turned out the fetlocks
are generally turned in. and animals
so formed are very apt to cut or brush.
Both, however, are weak formations.
Reject horse whose hind legs are
too far behind. Good propelling power
will be wanting, and disease as Il result
may be expected in the hooks.
Reject a horse which goes either very
wide OF very close behind.
Reject a horse with very straight or
very bent hooks. The former causes
undue conclusion, the latter are apt to
give way.
Reject Use which is "split up
]. e., shows much daylight between his
thighs. Propelling power comes from
behind, and must be deficient in horses
without due muscular Development
between the thighs.
Reject a horse with flat feet or over
arge feet. also with very small feet.
are the best.